IAC names a Berlin street after Walter Lübcke

We must not allow public spaces to be abandoned to people who sow hatred

On Whit Monday, Sigismund-Strasse in Berlin-Tiergarten was renamed as Walter-Lübcke-Strasse. The renaming by the International Auschwitz Committee was in memory of the president of the regional council in Kassel, Walter Lübcke, who was murdered by a right-wing extremist. On 2 June 2020, it was the first anniversary of the day he was murdered.

“Walter Lübcke’s active involvement for democracy and human dignity was exemplary,” said Christoph Heubner, the Executive Vice President of the IAC in Berlin. “We must not allow public spaces to be abandoned to people who sow hatred and are even prepared to commit acts of violence and murder.”
And he continued: “Society needs to raise its voice more clearly – looking the other way is not an option.” After the murder of Walter Lübcke more murders were committed in Hanau and Halle. This is a series of right-wing extremist acts of violence which document the increase in hatred and the murderous propensity to violence among Neo-Nazis and right-wing extremists, not only in Germany, but throughout the world. Mr Heubner also warned: “The judicial institutions in Germany must act more swiftly.”

The temporary renaming of Sigismund-Strasse as Walter-Lübcke-Strasse “is also a sign of support for his family, and an appeal to everyone to encourage and support local politicians in their work against right-wing extremist hatred and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories,” said Mr Heubner. “We must not allow public spaces to be abandoned to people who sow hatred and are even prepared to commit acts of violence and murder.”

The IAC is hoping that communities and cities will follow the example set temporarily in Berlin. After all, the renaming of a street is a permanent document and a clear commitment. The Berlin daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel reported the renaming of the street in detail. It also reported that Fulda is one of the first cities in Germany to name a new road leading to a residential neighbourhood as “Dr.-Walter-Lübcke-Strasse”. A start has been made.

Link to Der Tagesspiegel article: click here